Culture and Self-Defense

This is a short one. I have posted a good deal on the study of the culture's that have a history to the martial arts and I promoted its importance. This brief post is to connect it to my practice of karate and self-defense. As always "avoidance" is the best tactic and strategy in any civil hostile encounter. Where culture comes in is knowing or trying to understand the culture of the antagonist you encounter.

Knowing the culture and belief system, at least fundamentally, is a good idea as it provides you the tools necessary to deescalate and avoid conflict should an encounter turn toward hostility. Knowing what to say and what not to say; knowing what to look for and what to avoid; knowing if the antagonist is a member of a group and what that group culture is and all of it is important.

To gain insight into discovering the culture of the environment and the people of said environment will go a long way to teach you how to not make mistakes that could result in a "beat down" or worse. This exercise in finding and understanding the culture and beliefs of those before you in martial arts is just a way to discover how you can reach out and discover the culture and beliefs of your environment, all of them.

Your environment starts at home; it goes to other family members; it goes to the neighbors around your home; it goes with the environments that you pass through to go to work, the store, the movies, out to dinner, etc. It helps in self-evaluation toward the need of self-defense and all its many facets.

On the right you will find links to "no nonsense self-defense" and then you can read the many books on violence listed on my library blog. They are by professionals, the experts, and will give you the complete picture.

As to the culture and beliefs I have posted on as to Asia, well understanding that opens the door to understand the why of our systems.